อ่านภาษาไทย

The spotlight is on Dr. Sorapak Pukdesree, Bangkok University, Thailand.

Bangkok University (BU), established in 1962, is one of Thailand’s most prominent private universities. Known as “The Creative University,” BU offers innovative programs in business, communication arts, engineering, and international studies. With over 27,000 students, it fosters creativity and practical skills through modern technology and industry partnerships.

The School of Information Technology and Innovation offers programs in Computer Science, Information Technology, and Games & Interactive Media. Emphasizing learning by doing, students gain expertise in software development, research in IT, data science, cybersecurity, multimedia, and web development. The school partners with leading tech companies and government agencies, with a curriculum constantly updated to meet industry demands.

BU became an Oracle Academy member in 2022, a collaboration managed by Dr. Sorapak Pukdesree, who has been teaching the Oracle database for over 20 years and has earned 23 Oracle professional certifications.

Dr. Sorapak holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Bangkok University, a master’s degree from the University of Tennessee, and a Ph.D. in Information Technology from Rangsit University, Thailand.

Oracle Academy: What Oracle Academy curriculum do you teach?

Sorapak Pukdesree: I use the entire database platform, starting with Database Foundations, and then moving into Database Design, Database Programming with SQL, and Database Programming with PL/SQL. I also use the resources of Application Development Foundations.

But for the past couple of years, since the university entered into institutional membership with Oracle Academy, my focus has been on teaching Oracle APEX.

I have 200 students per semester, split into classes of 40 — that being the seating limit of our labs, for which APEX provides extremely good exercises. We use Oracle Cloud Infrastructure as the platform for Oracle APEX.

Oracle Academy: That’s good to know. Why is APEX of prime value to you?

Sorapak Pukdesree: Oracle APEX is powerful low-code application development platform. I teach it in my Low Code/No Code course among others. Why is it so good? Looking back to my own computer science studies, I learned a number of programming languages and different tools for managing the database, the front end, the back end and so on. Today it’s all available in one place, Oracle APEX. It is the best platform for those who want to build apps without diving deep into traditional coding.

What’s more, Orace Academy provides rich resources for teaching APEX, including hands-on lab exercises, mid-term and final exam questions — and as an instructor, I make use of Oracle APEX monitoring and management tools to track student learning progress effectively.

Oracle Academy: And you have presented on APEX at a recent seminar…

Sorapak Pukdesree: It was at the Sci Power for Future Thailand Fair organized by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation. The event was attended by people from universities, businesses and government.

Since I was representing Bangkok University, naturally my talk showcased the benefits to teachers and students of low code/no code development, the simplicity of integrating Oracle APEX into course design, and the power of the cloud‑based labs and other practical materials provided by Oracle Academy. Of course, I mentioned that the whole curriculum is free of charge for Oracle Academy members.

There was significant interest, especially among university lecturers who have not yet joined the program.

In another event, the Oracle Academy Faculty Day for private higher education in Thailand, I showed how to leverage the momentum of AI-powered capabilities on Oracle APEX which can help to streamline administrative tasks, enhance research workflows, and improve student engagement.

Oracle Academy: That’s a powerful set of endorsements. Do you also promote Oracle certification?

Sorapak Pukdesree: Very much so. I have over 20 certifications myself and have just added Oracle Cloud Success Navigator to my roster. Oracle University and its certification process is of great career value to students. In May 2025, my students collectively obtained 100 database-related certifications. In addition, we participated in the Oracle University contest Race to Certification 2025, open to anyone wanting to expand their knowledge and skills in AI, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, and the Oracle Data Platform.

Oracle Academy: Speaking of AI, are you planning to implement any of the Oracle Academy AI teaching resources?

Sorapak Pukdesree: At University of Bangkok our policy is that every class should integrate AI in their learning. We are not specialists in Java and follow the government initiative of having Python taught as of grade 12. But what I am now becoming familiar with is around AI Agents, for which Oracle offers Oracle AI Agent Studio.

We believe in continuous learning from both faculty and students and have the task of updating our curriculum at latest every five years. AI is top priority right now. I am looking not only into AI Agents but also concepts such as vibe coding using AI on the Lovable Cloud.

We look forward to using whatever new courses and materials Oracle Academy might provide.

Oracle Academy: What would you say have been the overall benefits of being an Oracle Academy member?

Sorapak Pukdesree: For me, having access to the teaching resources has been invaluable. The database and APEX materials perfectly fit my syllabus and mean that I do not have to create anything from scratch. They save me so much time in preparing course materials — time that I can better use in supporting students, guiding them through challenges, and offering meaningful advice.

In particular, I appreciate being able to create Oracle Cloud accounts for use in the labs, allowing students to practice independently anytime and anywhere. The lab exercises are far more beneficial to learners than simple memorization.

Moreover, Oracle Academy’s curriculum is professionally designed and applicable not only in the education domain but also in real-world industry contexts. Through these resources, students gain skills that prepare them for valuable career opportunities.

Oracle Academy: Do you use the Oracle Academy Member Hub?

Sorapak Pukdesree: There are many good resources on the Member Hub. I regularly refresh myself on the latest Oracle technologies through the Oracle Academy Education Bytes. And I encourage my students to access them too in their free time, as a self-learning path.

Oracle Academy: And what are your interests outside of teaching?

Sorapak Pukdesree: In addition to being an instructor, I also supervise and carry out research. I regularly publish papers focused on biometric authentication, software testing, development, cloud computing, and other topics.

As previously mentioned, I believe in continuous learning and am getting to know as much as possible about Vibe Coding, AI Agents, Generative AI, and everything related to how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the world. I am part of the university committee that studies innovation and determines which technologies to incorporate into our syllabus. We have to constantly adapt ourselves for the future.

Apart from that I am dedicated to helping my son prepare for his university entrance exams, which occupies our weekends at this time. But eating is one of my family’s great pleasures, with Chinese, Japanese, Thai food, and much more!

Thank you, Dr. Sorapak Pukdesree, for your passion for Oracle Academy and for preparing your students to make a positive impact.